


Let me sink a ship for you...

by kuru (catastrophage)



Series: Hetalia Ficlets [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Angst, Countries Using Human Names, Gen, Historical Hetalia, Unrequited Love, World War I
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2016-11-03
Packaged: 2018-08-28 20:04:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8461165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catastrophage/pseuds/kuru
Summary: "Dear Arthur. Today I'm writing you to introduce my new ships."This ficlet covers the arms race which led to WW1. In memory of the RMS Lusitania.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in 2010 and reposted for AO3 ☆

**Let me sink a ship for you...**

_Dear Arthur. Today I'm writing you to introduce my new ships._  
_I think my marine is getting close to your ideals of what a real navy should look._  
_My new ships are a bit faster than the old ones and also better in combat. I had my best engineers designing them._  
_I'm looking forwards to meeting you again, so I can show them to you in action._  
_Take care, Ludwig_

Arthur looked up from the letter, feeling more puzzled than ever before.  
He had noticed Ludwig running a bit weird with his new boss, but this was like a declaration of war!  
He took his pen to write an answer right away.

_Dear Ludwig. Today is a good day, isn't it?_  
_I think my navy has grown a bit recently. There is no way you could reach it._  
_But it's a nice try! Maybe someday I will teach you how you really do it._  
_Speaking about it, have you heard of my new law, called the two powers standard?_  
_Not just at the current time but also ever after, my navy will be twice the size of your marine._  
_You better give up - I'm beating you._  
_All the best wishes, Arthur_

_Dear Arthur. As I'm writing I might already have built the greatest navy of this world._  
_Ships are literally piling up in my construction halls. Don't you want to come over for some beer and take a look?_  
_Your letter has been hurting my pride a little, but by telling me some of your tricks you sure could make up for it._  
_Your's, Ludwig_

_Dear Ludwig. It's been some days but I've been very busy lately._  
_I have built a completely new generation of warships - I'll call them_ Dreadnoughts.  
_With this letter I'm sending you a picture of_ HMS Dreadnought _the first._  
_I've also got a different kind of ship in production, an auxiliary cruiser you could say. How about calling it_ Invincible _?_  
_We're playing in different leagues here, my friend. Please do not dare me._  
_Best wishes, Arthur_

 _Dear Arthur. I admire your passion, as much as it hurts me._  
_When you wrote about the_ Invincible _I immediately had to think of my_ SMS von der Tann.  
_I've attached a picture. Do you like it? I've really tried my best there._  
_Your's, Ludwig_

_To Germany. Your ship could never reach or even just get close to my standards. I've shown it to Alfred and we agreed they're unworthy of combat._  
_If you're still trying to prove me wrong, please keep the danger of a war in mind and think well about whom I'm going to side with._  
_Sincerely, UK_

Ludwig stared at the last letter. Germany? UK? It felt so distant.  
Danger of a war? But he had never wanted this! Wasn't all the trouble with France and Russia enough?  
Dear Arthur he had always felt close to. They could talk as equals. They often thought alike.  
What had happened to him? Was it because of the US interfering?  
Had all the pretty ships been built in vain?

War came over Europe and his heart never rested about it.  
_If everything else fails to show my love, let me sink a ship for you, from all my heart._


End file.
